Career and Education Opportunities for Communication Professors in McKinney, Texas

For those living in the McKinney, Texas area, there are many career and education opportunities for communication professors. Communication professors generally teach courses in communications, such as organizational communications, public relations, radio/television broadcasting, and journalism.

The average wage in the general category of Postsecondary Education jobs is $21 per hour or $63,640 per year in Texas, and an average of $23 per hour or $64,226 per year nationwide. Compared with people working in the overall category of Postsecondary Education, people working as communication professors in Texas earn less. They earn less than people working in the overall category of Postsecondary Education nationally. Communication professors work in a variety of jobs, including: public speaking teacher, instructor, and communication studies professor.

The McKinney area is home to fifteen schools of higher education, including two within twenty-five miles of McKinney where you can get a degree as a communication professor. Given that the most common education level for communication professors is a Master's degree, you can expect to spend about six years training to become a communication professor if you already have a high school diploma, or just 2 years starting with a Bachelor's degree.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Communication Professor

In general, communication professors teach courses in communications, such as organizational communications, public relations, radio/television broadcasting, and journalism.

Communication professors evaluate and grade students' class work and papers. They also ready course materials such as syllabi and handouts. Equally important, communication professors have to keep abreast of developments in their field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences. They are often called upon to maintain student attendance records and other required records. They are expected to compile and grade examinations, or assign this work to others. Finally, communication professors compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.

Every day, communication professors are expected to be able to speak clearly. They need to articulate ideas and problems. It is also important that they listen to and understand others in meetings.

It is important for communication professors to participate in student recruitment and placement efforts. They are often called upon to conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals or electronic media. They also act as advisers to student organizations. They are sometimes expected to supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work. Somewhat less frequently, communication professors are also expected to perform administrative duties such as serving as department head.

Communication professors sometimes are asked to formulate and revise curricula, course content and methods of instruction. They also have to be able to compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments and participate in campus and community events. And finally, they sometimes have to furnish professional consulting services to government or industry.

Like many other jobs, communication professors must be reliable and have exceptional integrity.

Similar jobs with educational opportunities in McKinney include:

English Professor. Teach courses in English language and literature, including linguistics and comparative literature.

Math Professor. Teach courses pertaining to mathematical concepts, statistics, and actuarial science and to the application of original and standardized mathematical techniques in solving specific problems and situations.

Nursing Professor. Demonstrate and teach patient care in classroom and clinical units to nursing students. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of both teaching and research.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Communication Professor Training

The Art Institute of Dallas - Dallas, TX

The Art Institute of Dallas, 8080 Park Lane #100, Dallas, TX 75231-5993. The Art Institute of Dallas is a small school located in Dallas, Texas. It is a private for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 1,891 students and an admission rate of 45%. The Art Institute of Dallas has a bachelor's degree program in Advertising which graduated nine students in 2008.

Collin County Community College District - Plano, TX

Collin County Community College District, 4800 Preston Park Blvd., Plano, TX 75093. Collin County Community College District is a large college located in Plano, Texas. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 21,000 students. Collin County Community College District has an associate's degree program in Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric which graduated two students in 2008.

CERTIFICATIONS

Accreditation in Public Relations:
APR certification proves you have successfully demonstrated competency in the knowledge, skills and abilities required to practice public relations effectively in today's business arena.

LOCATION INFORMATION: McKinney, Texas

McKinney, Texas photo by Agriffin

Mckinney is situated in Collin County, Texas. It has a population of over 121,211, which has grown by 122.9% in the past ten years. The cost of living index in Mckinney, 90, is below the national average. New single-family homes in Mckinney are valued at $168,500 on average, which is below the state average. In 2008, nine hundred eighty-seven new homes were built in Mckinney, down from 1,662 the previous year.

The top three industries for women in Mckinney are health care, educational services, and professional, scientific, and technical services. For men, it is construction, computer and electronic products, and professional, scientific, and technical services. The average commute to work is about 27 minutes. More than 39.1% of Mckinney residents have a bachelor's degree, which is higher than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 10.3%, is higher than the state average.

The unemployment rate in Mckinney is 7.8%, which is less than Texas's average of 8.1%.

The percentage of Mckinney residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 53.7%, is more than the national average but less than the state average. Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Eternity Community Church and Church of Christ are some of the churches located in Mckinney. The most common religious groups are the Catholic Church, the Southern Baptist Convention and the United Methodist Church.

Mckinney is home to the Estes House and the A M Scott House as well as Mouzon Park and Murphy Park.